Greater Wellington is blessed with a great range of places to tie the knot. From epic cliff top locations to historic churches, we really are spoiled for choice! Here are a few of my favourites…
Old Saint Paul’s in central Wellington is simply a stunning place to get married. The whole place oozes history and significance and is one of my favourite places to shoot. Its also conveniently located for some great Bridal shoot spots, close to the Botanical Gardens, Parliament and of course Wellington’s awesome water-front. Add to that the multitude of reception venues within a stones throw and its hard to go wrong! Have a look at an example wedding here (we headed to the Botanical Gardens for the Bridal shoot.
Boomrock Estate is located about 40 minutes drive (or 7 very exciting minutes in a helicopter!) from central Wellington, but the drive is well worth it. Perched on a sunset facing cliff looking out over the dramatic west coast its hard to imagine a more spectacular place to say your vows. Another advantage is that everything (ceremony, reception and photo locations) is all pretty much in the same place making things easier on the day. Bridal shoot locations include (of course) stunning cliff top vistas, forested glades, rocky out crops and a wool-shed to name but a few. Here is an example wedding, what an amazing sunset!!!
Queens wharf ballroom sits above Foxglove bar on Wellingtons waterfront and is a great central city location for both wedding receptions and ceremonies. A beautiful building, iconic location,great staff, plenty of space and excellent food make it a great choice.
The Landing is located in the Wairarapa on the outskirts of Masterton and like Boomrock is fantastic if you are looking for a place where you can enjoy both your ceremony and reception in one great location. If you prefer a church wedding, you can also just head there for your reception and to enjoy their great accomodation. The rural setting of the Landing is great, just a couple of minutes from Masterton and surrounded by paddocks and trees there are heaps of great options for the Bridal shoot within a few minutes walk. There are a few options for ceremony locations, typically the manicured gardens by the beautiful weeping willow tree are a great option. Here’s an example wedding!
Tarureka Estate is another Wairarapa wedding venue, located in Featherston. Surprisingly close to Wellington CBD (well under an hours drive) Tarureka has a very rural feel, with a beautiful homestead nestled in well manicured grounds. The real draw-card here for me is the stunning barn which can house the reception and ceremony in style regardless of the weather. I love the old wooden lofted roof in the barn against the striking chandeliers – very atmospheric. Bridal shoot locations are everywhere!!! Here’s a recent example wedding…
Zealandia in Karori is yet another great wedding venue in Wellington. Stunning native bush for photos, the chance of a post-wedding boat-ride, a beautiful lawn by the lake and a well equipped reception area overlooking it all! I’m also a big fan as I live just down the road in Karori, love the wildlife sanctuary and know it really well 😉 Heres the link to a recent Zealandia wedding (pre-blog early 2013, so on Facebook!)
